CompTIA Security+ vs SecurityX: which should you take first?
CompTIA Security+ vs SecurityX is a question of career stage: take Security+ first unless you already have ten years in IT, five in security. Security+ is the exam CompTIA recommends after two years of security or systems-administrator work. SecurityX, called CASP+ until December 2024, is CompTIA's advanced exam for security architects and senior security engineers.
In October 2026, the word casp appeared in 48 of the 8,110 US security-analyst ads on Adzuna, a job-ad search site, and the phrase comptia security (for Security+) in at least 112 of the 8,110. Both phrases miss some ads, and security analyst is not the job SecurityX targets; the job-ad section explains both limits.
Next step · Job ads · Exams · Cost · Renewal · SY0-801 · DoD 8140 · Worth it
| CompTIA Security+ | CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+) | |
|---|---|---|
| Current exam | SY0-701 (V7) | CAS-005 (V5) |
| Recommended experience | Network+ (CompTIA's networking certification) and two years in a security or systems-administrator role | 10 years of hands-on IT, 5 of them in security |
| Required prerequisite | None | None |
| Exam | Up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, 750 to pass on a 100 to 900 scale | Up to 90 questions, up to 165 minutes, pass or fail only |
| US exam voucher | $439 | $544 |
| To keep it | 50 CEUs (continuing education units, credits for approved learning and work) and a $150 fee per three years | 75 CEUs and a $150 fee per three years |
CompTIA SecurityX vs Security+ at a glance. Source: CompTIA exam and continuing education pages listed under Sources; US voucher prices checked October 12, 2026.
Show the numbers
| Country | CompTIA SecurityX (CASP+) | CompTIA Security+ |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1 of 235 | 5% |
| India | 2 of 250 | 3% |
| United States | 48 of 8,110 | 1.4% |
| Brazil | 0 of 434 | 2 of 434 |
CompTIA SecurityX (CASP+) or CompTIA Security+: which do employers name more?
Instant answer from October 2026 job ads. No email needed.
CompTIA Security+ is named in more job ads in the United States.
Source: Adzuna job ads, October 2026.
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On this page
- Are CASP+ and SecurityX the same certification?
- Is SecurityX the next step after Security+?
- CompTIA Security+ vs CASP+: which do job ads name?
- How do the Security+ and SecurityX exams differ?
- What do Security+ and SecurityX cost over three years?
- Does SecurityX renew Security+?
- Does Security+ SY0-801 change the timing?
- What does CompTIA's DoD 8140 mapping list for each?
- Is SecurityX worth it after Security+?
- What we did not check
- Sources
Are CASP+ and SecurityX the same certification?
Yes. CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner, shortened to CASP+, is the old name of CompTIA SecurityX. CompTIA's blog of December 18, 2024 announced that CASP+ "is now the new CompTIA SecurityX," and the new exam version, CAS-005, launched on December 17, 2024.
The blog says the name change "will not affect the certification status of current CASP+ certification holders or the continuing education program." CompTIA's archived former CASP+ page gave June 17, 2025 as the retirement date of the previous exam, CAS-004. An archived copy of CompTIA's former CASP+ page says unexpired CASP+ vouchers work for the SecurityX exam.
Is SecurityX the next step after Security+?
It is a later step, with other certifications in between. CompTIA recommends two years of work before Security+ and ten years of IT work, five in security, before SecurityX.
CompTIA's SecurityX page lists the knowledge it expects as "Network+, Security+, CySA+, Cloud+, and PenTest+ or equivalent knowledge." In CompTIA's renewal hierarchy, from high to low:
- Top: SecurityX.
- Between the two: CySA+ (Cybersecurity Analyst) and PenTest+ (penetration testing, attacking systems with permission to find weak spots).
- Lower: Security+, Network+ and A+ (CompTIA's IT-support exam).
Cloud+, also on the knowledge list, is CompTIA's cloud exam.
- No IT job yet: you can still take Security+, because CompTIA's two years in a security or systems-administrator role are advice, not a requirement (Security+ has no prerequisite). Use our cybersecurity roadmap to plan the steps, and see what support jobs ask for on our IT-support page.
- In IT, aiming for security: take Security+. If you are still choosing a first exam, compare it with networking options in CCNA vs Security+ and Network+ vs Security+.
- Holding Security+, still building security experience: CompTIA lists the certifications between the two in its recommended knowledge for SecurityX. Our CySA+ vs Security+ comparison covers the analyst route, and our PenTest+ page the testing route.
- Ten years in IT, five in security, designing or engineering defenses: SecurityX is the CompTIA exam written for that work.
Can you skip Security+ and go straight to SecurityX?
Yes. CompTIA lists no required prerequisite for either exam, so you can book SecurityX without holding Security+. The ten years CompTIA recommends are advice, not a rule.
CompTIA Security+ vs CASP+: which do job ads name?
We counted both in the same security-analyst ads on Adzuna in October 2026. An ad counted for CASP when it contained the word casp, which also matches CASP+; ads that use only the name SecurityX are missed. An ad counted for Security+ when it contained comptia security, an approximate match because Adzuna's search ignores the "+" sign; ads that write only "Security+" are missed, so that count is a minimum. Neither count shows what each matching ad meant by the word, because we did not read the ads one by one.
| Country | Security-analyst ads containing casp |
Security-analyst ads containing comptia security (at least) |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 48 of the 8,110 | 112 of the 8,110 |
| United Kingdom | one of the 235 | 12 of the 235 |
| India | 2 of the 250 | 8 of the 250 |
| Brazil | none of the 434 | 2 of the 434 |
Source: Adzuna API, ads titled security analyst (Brazil: analista de segurança), October 2026; each cell gives the ads containing the phrase out of all such ads in that country. Analysis: CertWorthIt. Method.
The two phrases are counted in different ways, so the columns do not rank the certifications against each other. An ad can name both, and the count cannot tell whether an ad requires a certification, prefers it or lists it as one option.
Security analyst is not the job CompTIA wrote SecurityX for: CompTIA describes SecurityX as an advanced certification for security architects and senior security engineers. Our cybersecurity-analyst page shows what else US analyst ads ask for.
Show the numbers
| Item | Ads | Share of ads |
|---|---|---|
| SIEM | 415 | 5.1% |
| CISSP | 338 | 4.2% |
| CompTIA | 162 | 2.0% |
| CISM | 134 | 1.7% |
| CompTIA CySA+ | 119 | 1.5% |
| CompTIA Security+ | 112 | 1.4% |
| Splunk | 100 | 1.2% |
| CEH | 81 | 81 of 8,110 |
| CompTIA SecurityX (CASP+) | 48 | 48 of 8,110 |
How do the Security+ and SecurityX exams differ?
Both have up to 90 questions, but SecurityX allows up to 165 minutes against 90 for Security+, and it reports only pass or fail.
| Security+ (SY0-701) | SecurityX (CAS-005) | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | Up to 90, multiple choice and performance-based | Up to 90, multiple choice and performance-based |
| Time | 90 minutes | Up to 165 minutes |
| Result | Scaled score, 750 needed on a 100 to 900 scale | Pass or fail only, no scaled score |
| Languages | English, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai | English; others to be decided |
| Domains (topic areas) and weights | Security operations 28%, threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations 22%, program management and oversight 20%, architecture 18%, general concepts 12% | Security engineering 31%, architecture 27%, operations 22%, governance, risk, and compliance 20% |
Source: CompTIA's Security+ V7 and SecurityX exam pages.
Performance-based questions ask you to carry out a task in a simulated system instead of picking an answer. A scaled score converts your raw result to a fixed range, here 100 to 900; SecurityX reports no scaled score.
The weights show the shift in level. Security+ puts its largest share on security operations, the day-to-day work of running defenses. By CompTIA's CAS-005 weights, SecurityX puts 58% of its exam on engineering and architecture, building protections and designing how they fit together, plus 20% on governance, risk, and compliance (the rules and risk decisions a company must meet).
Show the numbers
| Item | CompTIA SecurityX (CASP+) | CompTIA Security+ |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 90 questions | 90 questions |
| Exam time | 165 minutes (2 h 45 min) | 90 minutes (1 h 30 min) |
| Passing score | pass/fail only | 750 (scale 100–900) |
| Format | Multiple choice, performance-based tasks | Multiple choice, performance-based tasks |
| Languages | English | 5 languages |
What do Security+ and SecurityX cost over three years?
With one attempt each, Security+ costs $589 over three years and SecurityX $694, using CompTIA US store prices checked October 12, 2026. A voucher is the prepaid code you buy to book the exam; the continuing education (CE) fee is due once per three-year cycle when you renew with CEUs.
| Item | Security+ | SecurityX | Both, SecurityX before Security+ renewal is due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam voucher, one attempt | $439 | $544 | $439 + $544 |
| CE fee, one three-year cycle | $150 | $150 | $150 (one fee) |
| Total | $589 | $694 | $1,133 |
| With Retake Assurance vouchers (a higher-priced voucher option) instead | $579 + $150 = $729 | $709 + $150 = $859 | $579 + $709 + $150 = $1,438 |
| Two attempts at the standard voucher price | 2 x $439 + $150 = $1,028 | 2 x $544 + $150 = $1,238 | Add the second voucher to $1,133 |
Source: voucher prices from CompTIA's Security+ and SecurityX exam pages (US store); CE fees from CompTIA's renewal fee page (read October 3 and 7, 2026). Sums: CertWorthIt. Training and tax are not included.
Retake Assurance is an optional, higher-priced voucher in CompTIA's store. We did not read what it covers, so check the store before choosing it. CompTIA's retake policy says the exam price is paid for each attempt, with no wait before a second attempt and at least 14 days before a third.
The "both" column assumes you earn SecurityX before your Security+ renewal falls due, so a single SecurityX CE fee keeps both current. If years pass between the two exams, you pay the Security+ CE fee for each cycle you renew it on its own.
Show the numbers
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| CompTIA SecurityX (CASP+): Fees to get certified: Exam | $544 |
| CompTIA SecurityX (CASP+): Fees to get certified: Renewal, every 3 years | $150 |
| CompTIA Security+: Fees to get certified: Exam | $439 |
| CompTIA Security+: Fees to get certified: Renewal, every 3 years | $150 |
Does SecurityX renew Security+?
Yes. CompTIA's page on renewing multiple certifications says SecurityX "fully renews" CySA+, PenTest+, Security+, Network+ and A+, while Security+ fully renews only Network+ and A+.
CompTIA says "you'll only need to pay the CE fees for your highest-level CompTIA certification," and that lower-level certifications then renew without extra fees. Two conditions apply: choose SecurityX as the certification you are renewing (CompTIA calls this your intent level) when you pay CE fees or submit CEUs, and the fee waiver applies only where the higher certification fully renews the lower one.
Each needs its own credits if renewed alone: 50 CEUs for Security+ and 75 for SecurityX per three-year cycle. CompTIA's program FAQ adds that if you earn a higher-level certification to fulfill your renewal requirements, you do not pay the CE fee for the lower one, so passing SecurityX inside a Security+ cycle means you do not pay the Security+ CE fee for that renewal.
Does Security+ SY0-801 change the timing?
It changes which Security+ exam you take, and SecurityX does not require Security+, so a SecurityX plan is unaffected. CompTIA expects Security+ V8, exam code SY0-801, to launch on or around November 17, 2026, and SY0-701 retires in English on June 11, 2027 (Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai on August 13, 2027).
If you are ready before then, SY0-701 is still a full Security+ exam. The V8 page lists different domain weights, with security operations at 27% and threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks at 24%, and recommends a security administrator with two years of hands-on experience. Check which version your study material covers before you buy it. If you will not be ready before November 17, 2026, study the version you plan to sit, and book it before that version retires.
On the SecurityX side, CompTIA's page gives no exact CAS-005 retirement date; it estimates 2027, about three years after the December 2024 launch.
What does CompTIA's DoD 8140 mapping list for each?
DoDM 8140.03 is the US Department of Defense manual that sets qualifications for its cyber workforce, organized by work role (a defined job type with a code). CompTIA's framework alignment page says seven CompTIA certifications are approved across 30 work roles under it, including Security+ and SecurityX.
On that page, we counted 20 work-role rows that list Security+ as approved and 19 that list SecurityX. Both appear in rows such as Cyber Defense Analyst (511) and Security Control Assessor (612). Rows that list Security+ but not SecurityX include Technical Support Specialist (411) and System Administrator (451); rows that list SecurityX but not Security+ include Enterprise Architect (651), Security Architect (652) and Research & Development Specialist (661).
This is CompTIA's own mapping, not a Department of Defense page, and it shows no proficiency levels. Check which credentials the exact position you apply for accepts.
Is SecurityX worth it after Security+?
It is worth it if you work in, or are moving into, security architecture or senior engineering, the jobs CompTIA wrote it for, and have, or are building toward, the experience CompTIA recommends (10 years in IT, 5 in security). For an analyst role, our security-analyst counts include only ads containing casp, so they cannot show how often analyst ads name SecurityX by its new name.
Two side effects matter for planning. Passing SecurityX renews Security+ under CompTIA's rules, so holding both costs one CE fee per cycle. The CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional, from the certification body ISC2) asks for five years of experience and allows one year to be waived. ISC2's approved list for that waiver names both Security+ and SecurityX, and only one waiver counts, so SecurityX adds no extra year if Security+ already covers it. Our CISSP vs CASP comparison covers that choice.
What we did not check
- Ads that name only SecurityX. Our
caspcount misses them, and we could not check whether the phrasecomptia securityalso catches "CompTIA SecurityX." - Engineer and architect ads. Our counts cover security-analyst ads in four countries.
- Pass rates and salary. This page uses no pass rates or salary figures.
- Visible SecurityX price. The $544 sits in the SecurityX page's embedded store data, not its visible text; check the store before you buy.
- Security+ V8 price and exam format (questions, time, scoring). We did not compare them with SY0-701.
- Retake Assurance terms. What the higher-priced voucher covers.
- What each match refers to. We did not read the matching ads, so we cannot confirm that every
caspmatch means CompTIA's certification.
Sources
CompTIA and ISC2 pages were read between October 3 and October 12, 2026; prices were checked October 12, 2026. An archived copy is a saved copy of a page from the date given.
- CompTIA exam pages: Security+ V7, Security+ V8, SecurityX (exam details, recommended experience, vouchers), blog: Introducing CompTIA SecurityX, former CASP+ page (archived copy from 2024), retake policy.
- CompTIA continuing education: CE renewal fees, earn CEUs, renewing multiple certifications, program FAQ.
- DoD 8140: CompTIA framework alignment; row counts by CertWorthIt.
- ISC2: CISSP experience requirements.
- Job ads: Adzuna API, October 2026, security-analyst ads in the US, UK, India and Brazil. Analysis: CertWorthIt. Method.
Questions people ask
Is CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner vs Security+ the same comparison as SecurityX vs Security+?
Yes. CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) is the old name of CompTIA SecurityX. CompTIA renamed it in December 2024, when it released the CAS-005 exam, and says the name change does not affect the status of people who already hold CASP+. CASP, CASP+ and SecurityX are one certification, so comparing any of them with Security+ is the same comparison.
Can I take SecurityX without Security+?
Yes. CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+) has no required prerequisite: you hold it once you pass the exam. CompTIA recommends at least 10 years of hands-on IT experience, 5 of them in security, plus the knowledge of five lower CompTIA certifications, Security+ among them. That recommendation is advice, not a requirement.
How much do CompTIA SecurityX and Security+ cost over three years?
At CompTIA US store prices checked October 12, 2026, Security+ costs $589 over three years: a $439 exam voucher (the prepaid code you use to book the exam) plus the $150 continuing education (CE) fee for one three-year renewal cycle. SecurityX, formerly CASP+, costs $694: a $544 voucher plus the same $150 CE fee. Holding both comes to $1,133 ($439 + $544 + $150) only if you pass SecurityX before your Security+ renewal falls due, before training and retakes. If years pass between the exams, add the $150 Security+ CE fee for each cycle you renew it on its own.
Does SecurityX renew Security+?
Yes. CompTIA's page on renewing multiple certifications says the SecurityX continuing education (CE) cycle fully renews CySA+ (analyst), PenTest+ (penetration testing), Security+, Network+ (networking) and A+ (IT support). You pay the CE fee only for the highest certification and select it as your intent level (the certification you choose to renew) when you pay or submit CEUs (continuing education units, credits for approved learning and work). It does not work the other way around: Security+ renews only Network+ and A+.
Which do US job ads name, CompTIA Security+ or CASP+?
In October 2026, the word casp appeared in 48 of the 8,110 US security-analyst ads we counted on Adzuna, a job-ad search site, and the phrase comptia security (for Security+) in at least 112 of the 8,110. The word casp misses ads that write only SecurityX, that phrase misses ads that write only Security+, and security analyst is not the job CompTIA wrote SecurityX for.
Should I wait for Security+ SY0-801 before taking Security+?
Book SY0-701 if you are ready now. CompTIA expects to launch Security+ V8 (exam code SY0-801) on or around November 17, 2026, and the current exam, SY0-701, stays available in English until June 11, 2027. Whichever Security+ version you pass, CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+) has no Security+ requirement, so the version change does not affect a later SecurityX plan.
Do Security+ and SecurityX count for DoD 8140?
CompTIA's framework alignment page (read October 12, 2026) says seven CompTIA certifications, including Security+ and SecurityX (formerly CASP+), are approved across 30 work roles under DoDM 8140.03, the US Department of Defense manual on qualifications for its cyber workforce. Approval is per work role, a defined job type, not per certification: check which credentials the exact position you apply for accepts.